To The Faithfully Departed
by Purpleangel
Summary: “Are you blushing? I didn’t know ghosts could blush.” Damn his teasing. My glares don’t even faze him. I swear I don’t care if it’s the only thing I ever do, but I’m going to haunt him for the rest of eternity. ReidxOC. Cowrite w/ Cara Mascara.
1. i think i'm dead

**to the faithfully departed**

**Summary** "Are you blushing? I didn't know ghosts could blush." Damn his teasing. My glares don't even faze him. I swear I don't care if it's the only thing I ever do, but I'm going to haunt him for the rest of eternity. ReidxOC. Cowrite w/ Cara Mascara.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Something is off…

The alarm clock hasn't rang and I'm wide-awake.

This never happens…

And why the heck is it so cold in this room?! As soon as I open my eyes I spot Kira looking in the mirror as she fixes the blouse of her uniform. She was obviously fully awake and ready to go, unlike me. My eyes drifted from her to the clock on the nightstand. Damn. I only have fifteen minutes to shower, change, and eat breakfast. The task of showering alone takes at least that much time. That bimbo! Why didn't she wake me up?!

Okay. So maybe Kira isn't exactly my best friend in the entire world. But we did develop a mutual understanding of each other. And when it was just us late at night in our room we'd even socialize.

"Kira! Why didn't you wake me up?"

The head of red curly hair snapped up so fast I thought for sure I heard it crack. I expected a comeback. A snappy remark. _Anything_. But what I saw when she turned around...

The Kira Snider that was looking straight at me was unrecognizable, to say the least. Her eyes were bloodshot and glassy. Her normally pale cheeks were red and puffed.

Crying.

Kira Snider was crying.

And not the normal crying she did whenever Aaron broke up with her or when she broke a nail. No. Her entire composure was distraught and her lips even quivered as a sob escaped. The look on her face was indescribable.

Fear.

Shock.

Maybe a mixture of the two. But there was something else too. Pain. It sent shivers straight up my spine and the tiny hairs on the name of my neck stood up.

Kira stood by the door and I could hear her taking deep breaths. What the hell was wrong with her? In the past four years I had never seen her be such an emotional wreck. Standing up from the bed I stood behind her unsure of what to say. But I had to say something. It was part of our unspoken friendship.

"Ki-Kira…"

My hand was almost at her shoulder but she moved and opened the door. "What happe…" The rest of the sentence fell on deaf ears and the door shut in my face. She walked out of our room without as much as another look at me. Without as much as a glance at me.

That was… that was just freaking weird.

x-x-x-x

Note to self: give Kira a big thank you slap in the face for making me late.

_Oi._

Rewind and erase.

I can't do that. At least not until I find out why she was sobbing it up this morning. The lateness is partially my fault anyway. I spent practically fifteen minutes on my makeup alone. I couldn't figure out why I woke up so bloody pale for the love of me. Usually my complexion was that of the living, but today I looked like an outright dead cow.

It must have been one heck of a night for me… I can't even remember it.  
_  
Sigh._

I must've had a really good night or a really bad night and I'm suppressing the memories. Either one the same thing is at fault... alcohol.

Another note to self: never drink again. A-as-a-a-a…

"Achoo!"

Normally I'm not one to complain, but Christ why the hell is it so cold in here? Can this school not afford to turn the heat up or what?! I'm freezing my knicks off! Damn the man that invented this uniform. Not only is this skirt useless but this blouse might as well be made from paper.

Bloody hell.

"Watch where you're going!" I snap at the passing bloke who almost ran me over as if I weren't even walking here. This is like the third time someone almost tramples me down! Have people gone blind or are they just plain stupid today?! Bottom line, people are so rude. That just goes to show no matter how much money people have it can't buy them manners.

Something just wasn't normal today at the elusive Spencer Academy. The air feels thick, so much so that it's sending shivers down my spine. Well it's either that or the fact that it feels below zero in these hallways.

Ah! Waiting at my locker, as always, my best friend in the world. "Angela!" Finally, someone to pull me out of this gloom fest!

Or so I thought. I didn't manage one step towards her when she closed her locker and began walking in the opposite direction. She didn't even bother to take one look at me.

Am I contaminated? Diseased? What the heck is going on?!

"Attention." The voice over the intercom made me stop mid rant; it was Provost Higgins. He hardly ever makes announcements over that thing. It must be important. "A reminder to all students. Please head to the auditorium immediately for a mandatory assembly."

_Mandatory assembly_… that's strange.

We haven't had one in a long time… not since that kid at the Dells died. Hmmm… Something definitely doesn't feel right today…

I should have stayed in bed.

x-x-x-x

This assembly is either really important or really anticipated. Almost everyone in the entire school is already here and seated.

Don't I feel the awkward one… walking in late. Being the last one in is exactly what it felt like. Yet no one really seemed to notice me trying to find a seat. Everyone seems so depressed – the air in here is suffocating. Even the typically preppy cheerleaders are-

"This can't be real!"

That sounded like Angela. And it is Angela. I can see her a couple rows away from me. She's crying. Sobbing much like Kira was this morning. Actually looking around the room… a lot of people seem to be crying. What is going on here?

My feet carry me faster down the aisle. Still no one even glances at me as I make my way right in front of the stage where Provost Higgins is standing behind his podium. Looking around towards the stage my breath locks in my throat and my knees suddenly feel weak. Why is my picture up on stage?

"Students and faculty members, as most of you know we are gathered here for this morbid occasion. Student Helena Lively has passed away…"

Passed?

What the heck is he going on about?

"What!" No one even blinked. "I'm right here!" My voice echoed in the silent room. Still no one paid any mind to me and continued with their grieving. This is insane! My arms fall to my sides and my books scatter at my feet.

"Helena was an intelligent, young and…"

Was?

NO! NO! NO!

"Here! I'm right here!" No 'was'. No! I'm here. Alive and well. "Someone look at me!" My arms frantically waved around in hopes of catching anyone's attention. But nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"It is an injustice that such a vigorous student was taken away from us at only the tender age of 17…"

W-Wha-at? What is he saying?

No… this isn't real. It's a nightmare! Any minute now I'm going to wake up and be back in my bed. This isn't happening! Why is it so damn cold?! The tears rolling down my cheeks are only making me feel colder. My b-body. I can't feel my body. Everything feels numb.

What is happening to me!?

I raise my hand to my heart. I can't feel anything. There's no pulse at all. My heart… it's not beating…

Bloody hell!

… I think I'm dead.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

purpleangel a.n. – now this story has nothing to do with the poll in my profile. this was just something I had to get out there. thanks to cara mascara for wanting to be my co-author on this. oh and a picture of Helena can be seen in my profile. as always all reviews get a sneak peek into the next chapter.


	2. no one can see me

Chapter 2

--

No! This is not real! I cannot be dead. I just can't be! This is some horrific nightmare I'm having a lot of trouble waking up from! This just-

"I still can't believe it." The sobbing voice was all too familiar as I rushed through the halls while the auditorium emptied, yelling… screaming… shouting at the top of my lungs trying to get anyone's attention. Angela stood, head in hands, with Kate Tunney comforting her. I was never very good friends with Kate like Angela was. More like acquaintances. However, I was rather friendly with Sarah, Kate's best mate since we had- no, _have_ classes together, so the two of us were- _are_ familiar with each other.

"Calm down Angela. Helena wouldn't want you to be like this," she tried to soothe my hysteric friend as I followed them into the girls' washroom. It pained me to see how upset Angela was.

I gasped as a gush of suction swept over my body and I stumbled backwards at the realization of what had just happened. Sarah Wenham had just come into the bathroom and passed right through me. _Through_ me. I slumped against the wall as it finally set in, but almost fell through into the boys' room.

People can go through me. I can go through walls. Oh hell. I'm dead. I am really dead. But no matter how hard I try I can't remember it. How did it happen? A feeling of panic and complete confusion overwhelmed me. I never did drugs! Was I in an accident?! What happened?!

"Angela..." Sarah mumbled out as she laid a hand on her Angela's shoulder, her face wet with tears. I didn't even know her that well and she was crying. Wow. I suppose she really did like me. "I'm going to miss her too."

"M-ma-ybe i-if I…" Angela couldn't even finish her sentence her sobbing becoming too irrepressible. "I shouldn't have let her go!" The anguish in her voice was so unbearable. Let me go where? I can feel the tears rolling down my cheeks. What happened to me?

"It wasn't your fault. You have to be strong." Sarah cooed. "Remember the good times you had with her."

"I remember…" Angelia sniffled and a small smile crept on her face. "When Brian dumped me last year. Helena… she uhhh…" She let out a couple of giggles. I knew exactly what she was remembering. "Right in the middle of the cafeteria she-"

"-hung a picture of him sucking his thumb while he was sleeping, right?" Kate injected. "I think everyone still laughs at him for that."

"I remember on my first day here Anthony was hitting on me." Sarah said shaking her head with laughter. "She cursed him out and then he said 'bite me'. And she actually did." I remember that. I went through two bottles of Listerine trying to rid the foul taste of jock from my mouth.

Angela nodded her head as she continued laughing. But then just like that her laughter turned to tears. "I need her with me. It's not fair. She was my best friend," she cried out.

Sarah and Kate watched helplessly as Angela cried and cried. I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her, feeling no contact what so ever. Her body shivered and I wondered if I had caused the chill with my ghostly contact.

"This isn't real. This isn't really happening," Angela sobbed, crying into her hands and leaning forward into Kate's shoulder. All the girls hugged, trying to soothe the sorrow, but nothing seemed to be working at all. I gulped and shook my head. This is too much. Way too much.

Every fiber of my being was shaking. It was as if the sorrow was radiating off of them. I feel like I'm suffocating. Taking slow steps backwards, I had to get away from here. I turned around to run away from this, going right through the door in the process.

--

Taking a deep and shaky breath I passed right through the door of my dorm room. It felt strange. Kira was nowhere in sight. I looked around the empty dorm at all my things, finding a discarded shirt on the ground. I bent down to pick it up but it passed right through my hands.

That's when I lost it. I completely broke down.

"Why can't I touch anything?!" My hand reached out for the shirt again but again my hand ended up going right through the floor. Ah! I can't believe this! I'm going to have to be dressed in this damn uniform for the rest of my life... er… afterlife…

"This sucks! It isn't fair!" I half sobbed, half shouted.

My pity party was interrupted when the dorm door opened and my heart broke. My mother walked in, a cardboard box in her arms, tears falling down her cheeks. Her lips were pursed, trying to keep her muffled sobs inside. It didn't work well at all. She was always an emotional person but now... she was a bloody wreck.

Numbly, I watched as she picked small things up, placing them carefully in the box. I noticed her tense when her hands reached for my teddy bear. She had won it in a carnival while pregnant with me. Her frame shook as she clenched a hand over her mouth to contain a loud cry of grief.

"Why my baby! Why did it have to be my Helena?!" She cradled the teddy bear against her chest as more tears streamed down her face.

It was unbearable watching her like this. My chest burned and ached. Like my heart was literally breaking into pieces. Was this was happened to everyone when they died?

As my mum regained what control she had, she wiped her eyes and picked the box of my most precious things from the bed, preparing to leave the room after making herself as neat as she could in the mirror. I reached out to touch her but before I could even go through her, like I was beginning to realize I would, she walked from my reach and out the door.

And that was it… goodbye mum.

--

-Reid's POV-

Sleeping in today just didn't have the normal affect. Maybe it was because I wasn't actually missing class, just some stupid assembly. The whole school is in some delicate, sensitive, emotional counseling mode just because that girl died. It's ridiculous how people keep crying over it. I doubt anyone really knew her that well. It's hypocrisy at its best.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair before pulling my beanie on my head. No need to get all dressed up today. No one's attention was going to be on me for once.

The door opened and Tyler came into the room, looking a little disturbed. "Sup, man?"

He frowned and shook his head when he looked at me. Whatever dude. "Why didn't you go to the assembly?" I sighed and rolled my eyes. Here we go.

"It sucks what happened but I'm not gonna miss out on sleeping in for some girl I didn't even know," I shrugged.

"What do you mean you didn't know her? You had three classes with Helena and you sat right next to her in Calc!" I can't help but laugh when Baby Boy gets all flustered like that. He's so ridiculous if he thinks he's intimidating me. "What is wrong with you?! Why are you laughing?! A girl is dead Reid!"

"Keys," I demanded, completely ignoring him. He'll give up in a minute. He's not Caleb. Eventually, he'll get tired of repeating himself and realize I just don't care instead of trying to force feelings for this dead chick onto me.

"You've got to be kidding me. This isn't a vacation day Reid. School is cancelled because half the student body is crying their eyes out and scared to death. What happened to her was horrible!" I stared stone-faced at Tyler while he ranted.

"Keys." My voice was firm and demanding this time and Tyler sighed, signaling my predicted victory. He shook his head and roughly slammed the keys into my hand. I smirked and left the room.

Yeah, this isn't uncomfortable at all. Almost everyone in the hall is in tears, mostly girls. I felt awkward as I passed by them, trying to ignore everyone. Trotting downstairs, I just wanted to get out of this mood killing school as quickly as possible. Lucky for me, there's no one downstairs.

Ugh, almost.

"Another crying girl. Great." I muttered under my breath. She's pretty much the only one I've seen alone though. Everyone else upstairs was with one or two people, crying together. How gay.

Oh shit. I think she heard me. I've been spotted.

"What did you say?" She looked completely taken aback. I raised my eyebrows and cursed myself silently for not keeping my sarcasm to myself.

"Nothing. Uh, sorry about your... friend." Just guessing they were friends or something here. This chick looks a lot more upset then some of the other ones I've seen.

"My friend? No, she wasn't- I mean- I-" She cut herself off and pursed her lips, looking around and then back at me. "Y-you can see me?"

Andddd we have a psycho ladies and gentleman! I gave her a weird look and nodded. "Yeah. Sorry, your invisibility cloak isn't working sweetheart," I mocked, deciding it was time for me to get out of here.

"Don't you know who I am Reid?" Oh shit. Did I sleep with her or something? And not call her back? I turned slowly and braced myself for a slap in the face. But she just looked at me hopefully.

I looked her up and down. Not bad looking, that's for sure. Now that she says something... she seems kind of familiar. "I'm uh, really bad with names. Sorry..." I waited for her to fill in my blank. Probably just some chick I've seen a few times around school.

"Helena." She filled in.

"Right, Hele-" I definitely felt the color drain from my face. Tyler's words played over in my head. _'What do you mean you didn't know her? You had three classes with Helena and you sat right next to her in Calc!' _I swallowed hard and blinked at her. "You're..."

"Dead."

--

author notes: did you like it? cara wrote mostly all of this chapter, I just filled in a few blanks here and there. sneak peeks for all those who leave a review.


	3. did you killed me

Chapter 3

--

-Reid's POV-

Dead.

I could hear the one word echo a couple of times in my head. There was no way she could be serious, right? The solemn look on her pale face answered that question.

There were goose bumps forming on my arms. Is there in draft in here or something? It's so cold. Wait. I have to focus. There is a girl saying she's dead in front of me and here I am thinking about the temperature.

"You're…" My voice trailed off again. How was I supposed to ask something like that anyway?! Are you the dead girl? No. That question would probably get me slapped. Or worse she could start crying again.

"Yeah." She nodded her head slowly. "I'm He-Helena." Her voice trembled a little. I'm assuming she's as surprised as I am about this.

Right.

So she's that girl then. She's Helena. The girl everyone in the school is crying their eyes over. The girl who died. The girl who I had class with… What did she look like again? This Helena chick sat next to me in class and I can't even remember how she looked. Yeah, well it was Calc. Not so surprising I can't remember her, that's where I catch up my sleep. Still. She does look sort of familiar.

Damn.

Her eyes are wide and glassy. She won't look away from me. Normally a girl staring at me doesn't freak me out. But the way she's looking at me… it's hopeful. Like her life is in my hands or something.

So recap – girl is dead and I can see dead girl. I can see dead people. Oh shit. I get it now. It's like in that Bruce Willis movie? Right. Ha. She almost had me for a second.

"Not funny." Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion - nice touch. Girl should be an actress. "Dude, I didn't know her but that's not even funny."

"I'm not joking. I'm Helena!" She wasn't shouting but she wasn't exactly whispering either. I'm shocked no one has come to see what this is about.

"You should stop before someone who actually knew that girl overhears your bullshit."

"How can you not remember me?!" She actually just stomped her foot at me. "We had class together Reid." Not this again. Okay so I had class with Helena, big deal. I shrug my shoulders. "We sat next to each other!" she snarled.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes at her. She notices and stomps her foot again. If looks could kill, she definitely would have done me in already.

"I let you borrow a pencil just last week!"

I let my head fall to the side and laugh. Was that seriously the best she could come up with? Walking closer to her, I lean down next to her ear. Her body tenses at our closeness, but somehow it's like we're not close at all. It's like I'm not actually standing beside her. It feels so… airy.

That's stupid though.

"Stop wasting my time."

A low chuckle escapes me when I hear her gasp at my bluntness.

Stupid girl.

--

-Helena's POV-

"I let you borrow a pencil just last week!"

This has to be some type of surreal dream that I'm going to wake up from any minute now. Out of the hundreds of students attending Spencer, it just has to be Reid Garwin that sees me. And of course he thinks I'm a loony and doesn't believe a word I'm saying. Who would have thought being dead could be so complicated. All he's doing is just standing there laughing at me. This boy has got a serious warped sense of humor if he thinks any of this is even funny. Casually he walks over to me, so close to me that we're almost touching, but now quite. Oh great. If he touches me… he'll… pass right through me. Sure that was just the evidence I needed to prove who I am, but I didn't want him to do it. The feeling of it happening… it just didn't feel good or right or…

"Stop wasting my time." His tone was sharp. He _really_ wanted me to drop the subject. I think I let out a squeak but I'm not sure. Either way I heard him chuckle. The sound of his laughter felt like a slap in the face at that instant.

Is he joking?

Someone tell me this is some kind of sick and twisted joke. He, out of everyone in this bloody school, is the only one who can actually see me?! That peroxide blond is just walking away from me! Like nothing I said even matters!

Did he have girls telling him they were dead on a regular basis or something?! I mean I know what it sounds like. Still he knows that 'Helena' is dead, all he has to do is remember the face of the girl who has sat next to him all year to put the pieces together. It isn't that hard! How can he just leave me standing here, brushing me off, as if I was making it up?!

It suddenly hits me like a cold bucket of water. He doesn't care. All of this business of a dead girl really doesn't matter to him regardless. Maybe if he cared about the situation, maybe then he would believe me. Can't blame him for that though. I mean we really weren't friends. Not really. Throughout the year we might have exchanged a few words and glances, but that was really it. We were just classmates. Nothing more.

Still...

Damn it. I let him borrow a pencil; I think that should count for something. Heh. Gratitude is obviously not in his vocabulary.

Whatever.

I don't really need him anyway. Surely if that git can see me, then it means some other people can too. I mean it's not like blondie has anything special going on. Apart from an over inflated ego.

No.

Rewind and erase.

Most Spencer boys have an over inflated ego. So then that leaves blondie being a 'regular' guy. Meaning there has to be other 'regular' people here who can see me too. It was my theory and it was worth a shot. Besides not like I have anything left to lose.

--

There went three hours of my life... err... afterlife that I'll never get back. Trying to find someone else who can see me is pointless. All the people that were left on campus were dead ends. I'd have better luck trying to get through that bloke's head again. He is such an idiot. As if someone would make up something this big.

Reid Garwin.

Ugh. I so don't want to think about him right now. As a matter a fact I don't want to think about much of anything right now. Today has been way too exhausting and overwhelming. I feel dead tired. I can't help but laugh now. I mean, shit I'm really dead or this is one heavy dream I'm having. Either way I need to rest and clear my head if I'm ever going to get things figured out.

I walked right though the door to my dormitory still trying to get used to the feeling it made. But I also found this was the one thing I've figured out that is a little cool about being a ghost. I mean, I can-

Bloody hell.

Kira's sitting on her bed, sobbing into a tissue and two men are taking apart my bed. Not to mention all my things are gone!

"I can't have another roommate, I just can't!" Kira cried into her hands. The men looked rather uncomfortable at the entire situation and I sighed, realizing I now have to find someplace else to collect my thoughts and relax. Not to mention to sleep.

I descended down the stairs and outside eventually, finding myself in the school courtyard, a place I often ate lunch and studied in the warmer weather. It felt so different being here.

Why?

Why is this happening to me?

Why is it that only he can see me?

Why?

Why?

Why?

I know no matter how many things I try to analyze the situation it is hopeless. Reid Garwin is the one only who can see me. Point blank. No way around that fact, as I already figured out. But… why?

UGH!

There just has to be a reason. There is a reason for anything in this world. There is a reason why it rains and there is a reason why grass is green. There is a logical and reasonable explanation to everything in this bloody hell of a world so there has to be a reason why I'm… a ghost. More importantly there has to be a reason why that stupid boy can see me.

_Woah_ - Hold on the phone!

Why didn't I realize this sooner? It is reasonable and rational... well as rational as 'being a ghost trying to figure out why she's dead' went. It's so obvious to me now. That the reason he can see me, it has to do with me dieing. It makes sense. Yeah. Just like in that movie with Harrison Ford. The girl haunts him after her death because…

O-Oh m-m-my g-go-god!

…because he killed her!! But then that would mean…

Could Reid really have killed me?! No. Reid Garwin arrogant, self-centered, and overall shit hole, but he wasn't a killer. At least… I'm pretty sure he's not a killer. Or at the very least maybe he knew who killed me. That I wouldn't put past him. But still, that doesn't make much sense. He's the only one who can see me because he knows who killed me? No. It would only make sense for me to haunt him if he was the one who killed me.

Oh wow.

This is all starting to come together now. And that explains why he was brushing me off so causally too. I mean any normal person would get freaked out about a girl claiming she was dead. That was it then, he must have done something to me. That asshole! He killed me! And he thinks that he'll be able to just get away with it, just like that because he's Mister Hot Shot around here.

Yeah right. That'll happen all right… over my dead_ish_ body it will.

--

-Reid's POV-

Today definitely did not go according to planned. I thought school was depressing but it was nothing compared to how the whole town was acting. All because of that dead girl. I mean people die everyone! Life goes on! But apparently it doesn't in Ipswich.

So it was back to the dorms to catch up on some more sleep. Walking down the corridors, I can see people crying their eyes out. It's so ridiculous! I wonder if that girl from this morning is still going around saying she's the dead girl. She certainly could at least provide me with some laughter. Fucking lunatic...

Sighing, I open the door to the dorm room expecting it to be empty. Ah. Speak of the devil. Standing right in the middle of the room is psycho chick. This ought to be good.

"What are-" I stop short as she walks closer to me, her eyes glaring at me.

"You!" She spits out the single word as her teeth clench together. Something tells me she isn't thrilled to see me. Chick must have forgotten she is in _my_ room. "What did you do to me?!"

"Huh?" I scratch the tip of my ear in indifference. What the hell did she want? A written apology for not calling her back or something? I mean I don't even remember being with her. "What the hell you been smoking?"

"You did something to me. That is why you can see me!"

"Again with the dead shit?!" She really doesn't know when to drop a bad joke. "Are you psycho or something?"

"AHH!" She yelled, stomping her feet at me like she did early today. "Admit it! You killed me!!" Her voice sounded hoarse, like either from too much yelling or too much crying. And judging from how she was acting now and how she was sobbing this morning, I think it's more a mix of both.

"I didn't do sh-" I was cut off when the door opened wide.

"What the hell Reid!" Tyler yelled, storming in the room. "I can hear the yelling all the way down the hall." His eyebrows knitted together as he looked at me expectantly.

"Don't look at me." I scoffed. "Blame this chick." I pointed to where loony was standing. She looked between us a couple of times, before her eyes finally settled on Tyler. Ah so now she decides to stay quiet.

"What?"

"The yelling." Shrugging I continued to point over at the girl, who was now looking at the floor. "She started it."

"You're drunk again."

"There is a girl standing right there!" I looked over at her, expecting her to say something, but she didn't. She just stood there without saying a word. The look on her face though was... weird. She looked disappointed.

"Not funny." He rolled his blue eyes at me and then let out a sigh. "I'm going to take a shower." He mumbled, grabbing some clothes from the closet.

"But she's-"

"Not funny." He repeated, a little bit more serious this time. "You shouldn't joke about the dead like that." With that he turned around and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

The girl is good.

She has to be if she managed to get baby boy to play along. Turning around to face her, I notice she is wiping away at some tears. This girl must be going after an Emmy. I stared stone-faced at her. Her mouth opens to say something, but she quickly closes it, and instead bends down to the floor. On the floor, of course, is a pair of my boxer shorts. Her hand lingers over them for a second before she reaches down to grab them. Only she didn't grab them. No. Instead her hand went right through. Her hand is literally through the floor right now!

Oh shit.

Suddenly my entire body feels frozen. When did it suddenly get so cold in here? Focus! So she wasn't lying, this is really Helena? I blink my eyes a couple of times to see if she disappears, but no she's really there. I don't remember getting drunk. No. I wasn't drunk and she was really here. Helena the dead chick was standing in front of me.

"Shit." My voice sounded so foreign even to my ears. "You're really dead." She rolls her eyes and smacks her forehead before looking at me.

"Brilliant deduction Sherlock."

--

author notes: another chapter done! aren't things getting interesting? so for those who asked who else can see her, i hope this chapter answered that question. sneak peeks for all those who leave a review.


	4. not a drunk nightmare

Chapter 4

--

-Helena's POV-

"Ahh." I squealed as Reid stared wide-eyed at me before reaching forward, letting his hand pass right though my stomach again. "Stop that you git!"

That sensation… it's so unnerving. It still feels so strange when things pass through me or I pass through them. But passing through people is worse. It's going to take time to get used to. Not that it matters much since I'll have the rest of eternity to get used to it.

Reid pulled his arm back before standing up and pacing the room. "This doesn't make any sense!" Reid announced, stressed and pulling at his hair. I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. Uh hello, understatement of the year much?

"It should make perfect sense to _you_!" The look on his face told me he had no clue. Did I have to spell it out?! "I'm sure you've sat in the back row of enough movies where someone gets killed and the person who sees their ghost is the one who killed them!" He looked at me as if I were insane.

"What?! Wait, you think _I_ killed you?! Are you dead _and_ stupid?!" I scoffed and wished I could slap him square across his face at this current time.

"Well then what other explanation is there for why only you can see me?" I crossed my arms over my chest. This ought to be good.

"I don't know, but I didn't kill you! Why the hell would I kill you?! I didn't even know you! Trust me, if I was gong to kill someone, I wouldn't waste my time with some chick I don't even know." I looked at him strangely. That was a bit of a weird way to come to reason, but he had a point. He really has no motive for killing me. Unless...

"Did you do it by accident? I won't be mad if you just admit it." I lied. If he confessed and told me he'd crashed into my car with his little friends boat he calls a motor vehicle, I was going to haunt Reid Garwin until the day he died.

"No! I didn't have anything to do with it! I wasn't even in the area where they found you!" I opened my mouth to protest again, but he must have guessed my next comeback because he raised his hand to shut me up. "Trust me, I was with someone that night."

"Yeah right. Unless you have proof I-"

"I have video proof if you need it." He held out his cell phone and looked like was about to toss it to me. I quickly raised and eyebrow and he got the point. Rolling his eyes, he walked over to me and put the screen in front of my face. The video started playing and it showed him on the bed with his hands folded behind his head. I glanced up at him not really getting the point. "Keep watching."

I snorted and rolled my eyes but looked back at the screen anyway. There was some giggling, obviously not from him, and then I saw a girl make her way over to his bed. She swayed her hips as her hands ran over her body before pulling her shirt over her head. It wouldn't have been that bad except she didn't have a bra on and I just got an eye full. A smug smirk appeared on his face and I looked away, disgusted.

This is just peachy keen. My only salvation is a perverted jerk. I would ask for someone to shoot me now, except I would still be dead and stuck with him regardless.

"Well if you didn't kill me, who did?! Did you have something to do with it?! Is that why you can see me?! Reid, do you know who did it?! I swe-"

"Would you shut up?! God, I thought dead people rested in _peace_. I don't know anything about who killed you, okay? I wasn't there. I had nothing to do with it. And I still have no idea why I can see you, all right?"

I hate being yelled at. I suppose I had it coming with all the serious accusations I was throwing at the blonde Son of Ipswich, but my lip still began to tremble and my eyes began welling up with tears. "Oh God. Don't cry, please?" he begged, at least calmer now that he'd lashed out at me.

"What happened to me? How did I d-die?" Reid rubbed the back of his neck and frowned, looking down at the floor.

"I mean it's pretty obvious you were killed. They just... aren't giving out any details. Police are keeping it real hush-hush." He sighed, out of pity for me or for the uncomfortable position he was in, I'm not sure. "Sorry, but I don't have the answers you're looking for."

This was worse then finding out I was dead. I mean how can he not know anything. Everyone… anyone must have at least a clue to how it happened. I mean Ipswich is like a gossip vineyard.

"Anything? You don't know anything? How can you not know anything?" Reid growled, pretty obviously annoyed with me and ripped his jacket off roughly, tossing it onto the floor.

"Listen, I can't tell you what I don't know! We can try to figure it out tomorrow, okay? I'm fucking tired and I have class in the morning." By now Reid had thrown all previously worn articles of clothing into each corner of the room, leaving him bare chested and only in boxers. I was a little uncomfortable as he climbed into his bed and clicked the light off, but then again, Reid was on the swim team, and those boxers definitely left more to the imagination than the speedos.

So that was it? He was just going to sleep like I wasn't here. What happened to chivalry for a lady or respect for the dead!? Seeing him lying on his bed made something click in my head. Oh yeah I almost forgot... I don't have a room anymore.

"I don't have anywhere to go." I couldn't see Reid anymore in the dark room, but I heard him groan.

"So? It's not my fucking problem! You're dead; you don't need to sleep anyway. Go for a walk or something."

"Ugh, Reid Garwin you are the most insensitive and useless person I have ever had the misfortune of knowing and I can only be thankful that I never wasted any part of my life getting to know you or swooning over you like the other mindless slags in this school!" With that, I stormed through the door, and right through Tyler as well, causing him to shiver as he entered his dorm.

--

After spending most of the night walking around the campus and sobbing to myself, I reentered the dorm of the only person, as of now, who could see me. I figured out, while trying to make myself comfortable on a bench outside, that sleeping was not something that was coming easy. My body would not relax and my brain would not dream.

I stared at Reid while he slept, Tyler being absent from the room. Though it was morning and most students were up and getting ready for class or eating breakfast, it was no surprise to me that Reid was sleeping in. I can't once remember him coming on time to any of the classes we shared. He was notoriously tardy.

He actually looked rather harmless when he slept. Awake, everyone knew he was a constant prankster, troublemaker and flirt, but lying there with his eyes closed and a peaceful look on his face, he actually looked very childish and innocent.

Not that I'd ever believe he was either.

I don't know why I accused him of killing me. I mean, really, what reason would cool, popular, playboy Reid Garwin have to kill me? He didn't even know who I was. I almost feel bad for throwing accusations at him like that now that I look at how innocent he seems in his sleeping state. Almost...

I didn't realize how close I'd gotten to him while studying his unusually vulnerable looking features until his eyes fluttered open. A groan signaled me hovering over him was not his preferred way to wake up. He rolled over and I could hear muffled curses as he growled them into his pillow before rolling over on his back once again.

"You were supposed to be some horrible, annoying nightmare," he groaned and I huffed as he sat up in his bed, swinging his legs over the side.

"Sorry. No such luck," I said back in a nasty tone. It's not as if I chose him to be the one who was able to see me.

He scratched the back of his neck and shook his head before standing up and going into the bathroom. I studied some of the things on his dresser, using my eyes only obviously. Cologne, Axe, socks, wallet, a few photographs... far too many empty condom wrappers. He's disgusting. But he's my only hope at the moment.

_Wonderful.  
_

"So, what are we doing today?" I asked once he'd emerged from the bathroom. He chuckled, a bit bitterly and shook his head as he grabbed a pair of the Spencer uniform slacks from the floor and smelled them. I made a face. Men are pigs.

"We? What are we doing? Sorry babe, but _we_ aren't doing anything. _I'm_ going to class." For a minute I felt almost defeated at his response, but then my eyes widened as I thought of a wonderful possibility!

"Sounds great! I'll come too! Maybe people will be talking about my death and I'll find something out." Helena, you are so bright!

"Whatever. Suit yourself." He shrugged as he collected other pieces of his uniform from around the room and tossed them all on his bed. He went into his drawer and pulled some socks and underwear out, clean thank goodness. "You might wanna leave now," he said with a smirk. I looked at him confused until I saw him reach for the elastic band of his boxer shorts and quickly turned around before I saw something far too many girls in this school have seen before.

At that exact moment, the door swung open and Tyler walked in, fresh from showering with nothing but a towel around his waist. Drops of water fell from his hair down to his bare torso. That oh so toned torso. My eyes followed the drip of water slid all the way down till it reached the towel on his hips. Gah! Bad thoughts! I gasped and felt my face flushing.

"Aw man! Put some pants on!" Tyler complained, obviously seeing his nude friend and I took the chance to rush out of the room, completely embarrassed.

--

How convenient for me. I had this class with Reid and I recall his seat being right on the end next to the stairs. Maybe things were finally starting to take a turn for the better. I took a seat on the step next to his empty seat and sighed as the final bell rang, everyone present except for Reid... and me of course. Technically anyway.

Christ, I'm dead and I still managed to make it to class before Reid.

Bloody idiot.

He strolled into the classroom nearly ten minutes late. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence Mr. Garwin," the teacher recited and I mouthed the words along with him. Among the Spence staff, that was probably the most common phrase used.

And of course, Reid smirked and retorted with some smart remark that I didn't hear because I was too busy looking at Kira, who had began tearing up while her eyes were glued to the empty seat that I had once occupied two rows in front of her. Her hand raised and the teacher nodded to her in acknowledgement. "Mr. Garwin, please take your seat. Yes Miss Snider?"

"May I please go to guidance?" she sobbed. The teacher nodded and appointed another student to escort her. I felt horrible. Reid stood in front of me and cautiously passed through me to get to his seat, shivering a little.

"Damn it, couldn't you move?" he grumbled. I ignored him and listened to the professor speak.

"I know it's been a difficult time for a lot of you. Losing a peer is never easy, whether you were friends or not. What happened to Helena was... horrible, but life must go on. I'm not going to bombard you all with homework tonight and if anyone feels the need to go to guidance, please just raise your hand. Now, open your books to page 316."

"Reid," I whispered, for some odd reason. No one else can hear me; I don't know why I bothered. "Reid!" I said again, much louder this time.

He closed his eyes and sighed before looking at me expectantly. "Ask someone about me."

"No," he whispered very quietly.

"Reid! _Please! _I need to know and I can't do it alone!"

"I'm not asking anyone anything. Shut up and leave me alone," he hissed, louder than he had before. A few students looked at him strangely.

"You're a jerk, you know that?" He just ignored me and began taking notes, surprisingly. I looked down to his notebook and frowned as I tried to read what he was writing. "What does that even say? You have very messy handwriting. It's like chicken scratch." I heard a low growl in his throat as he continued to copy the notes the professor had projected on the wall. "That's spelled wrong. For Christ's sake Reid, it's on the board. Can't you even copy it correctly?"

"Would you shut up?!" I jumped at his sudden outburst and all eyes were on him. A snicker escaped my lips as the teacher cleared his throat and Reid glared at me.

"Is there a problem Mr. Garwin?" Professor Conner asked. Reid looks around and shakes his head. "Yes well, please do not disturb my class again or you will be in detention after school. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Reid mumbled, obviously unhappy as giggles and whispers flooded the room.

"All right, settle down. Since you all feel the need to talk instead of taking these notes, I guess you're ready for a pop quiz? Books away." The class groaned and a lot of people glared in Reid's direction, blaming him for initiating the entire thing. He slumped down a little in his seat but glared back, scaring most of the accusing eyes away.

I watched over his shoulder as he read through the questions and filled in the answers slowly, obviously not quite sure about the subject matter of the quiz, _Antigone_. I, on the other hand, had read it thoroughly last week. Like we were supposed to. No surprise Reid hadn't bothered.

I laughed as he filled in some ridiculous answer for the third question. "That's not right. Why would you even think that?" He ignored me and continued filling out the quiz. I snorted with laughter at another very wrong answer. "Not even close," I informed him.

"Fuck off!" The entire room seemed to freeze at his vulgar outburst. Reid ran his hands over his face and leaned back in his chair.

"Mr. Garwin?" Professor Conner said in an unpleasant voice.

"Detention?"

"Bingo."

Somehow I don't think 'oops' or 'my bad' would stop the glares of death he was sending me. This was definitely not the way to get him to help me out. So much for things looking up.

--

author notes: major kudos to cara for this chapter. I have two papers due and have no time to write for the next two weeks. the next chapter will probably take a lot longer to get out. sorry but im on a mini hiatus. sneak peeks for all those who leave a review.


	5. the silent treatment

Chapter 5

--

-Helena's POV-

He's been in there for over an hour! What could Provost be saying to him?! I mean he couldn't be getting anything worse than detention… RIGHT?!

MUST calm down.

Must CALM down.

Must calm DOWN.

Pacing back and forth in front of Higgins office isn't the best way to calm down I guess. But I want to know how badly he is being scolded because of me. This guilt thing really is weighing down on me too much. I suppose I could just 'pop' my head in there and see what's going on, but it would be weird. Reid would probably just get more upset with me too.

"Urg! Just come ou-" My rant is short lived because the door finally opens and out walks blondie. "Hey Reid," I smile as innocently as I can. His blue eyes flicker to me but he remains silent.

That's a first: Reid Garwin has nothing to say, I'm amazed.

No. I must not insult him. I still need him.

This seems awkward somehow, having him stare at me so intently. It is creeping me the 'ell out. Just as I am about to open my mouth to say something, he makes a move and walks around me.

"I'm done with you," his voice is nothing more than whisper but I heard it loud and clear. I turn around quickly and stand in front of him, blocking his path with my arms.

"W-wa-wait!" He can't be saying what I think he is saying. "W-what?" He didn't say anything.

WHY ISN'T HE SAYING ANYTHING!

…and then he smirked.

"I'm-" He paused and I saw something flash in his bright blue eyes. "-done."

He wouldn't do that, would he? I mean he surely knows how much I-

"AHH!"

He did! He walked right **through** me! That bugger!

"REID!!" He didn't bother turning around and instead kept walking. "Talk to me!" Not even a second glance back at me.

He really is serious about this... he's not planning on talking to me anymore.

Does he not realize how stupid this is?!

Giving the silent treatment to a ghost is unheard of and not to mention downright ridiculous! But I guess I can't blame him. It is my entire fault that he got in trouble with Higgins. Still though. If he doesn't help me – bloody hell – I'm already screwed over as it is. But whether he realizes this or not, he really is the only one that can help me.

_Sigh_.

I'll just give him some space I guess. Yeah. Guys don't like to feel overcrowded with a girl and I suppose I have been acting clingy. _Pfft_. How else am I supposed to act around the only guy who can see me!? But still, I must not cling to him too much. Some space will let him see just how much I need him.

Oh, yuck!

I never thought I'd think such a thing: me actually in need of Reid Garwin.

Time. I only need to give him some time to cool off and everything will be okay again. Knowing his small feeble brain, he'll forget about this by tomorrow and be talking to me again.

_Sigh_.

I can only hope.

--

Sleeping on the gym bleachers isn't exactly what I thought the after life would be like. Not that I ever thought about such a thing to begin with. Who thinks about being dead anyway? Well, except for those emo kids. But still, religion certainly painted it much differently than this. People are supposed to find peace after death. I'm not so naive as to think people float up to heaven after they die or plunge down to hell, whatever the case may be but I still always thought people would be at peace, whatever it may be. Instead, here I am, a wandering spirit trapped in her dreadful school uniform.

Blimey!

It's been three days and he still isn't talking to me. Much less looking at me, not even wielding a tiny glance in my direction. Giving him space has only served for him to further forget about me. Peachy. I have the only living boy that can see me not talking to me, I have no idea how I died, and I don't know what to do. What can I do? I mean I'm dead, dead as a doornail, and there is no changing that.

But I don't understand why… why do I have to be like this?!

I can feel the stream of tears rolling down my face, but it's like I can't all at the same time. It feels faint. Almost as if the tears themselves were nonexistent. No. It's more like the sensation of feeling is nonexistent. Everything is just numb.

I hate this!

I hate this so much!

Maybe if I would have stayed back in London with dad… I don't know. Perhaps my fate would have been different. I might still be alive. I might still have a chance of doing all those things I wanted to do. It sounds so stupid to be thinking about that now. All the 'what ifs' in the world won't change anything, I know that, but I can't help but let the thoughts take form. My life would have certainly been different if I had stayed with my dad three years ago. Instead I let him convince me that I needed to spend time with mum and I reluctantly agreed. It's not like I didn't miss mum, because I did miss her everyday since the second she decided to leave. I just hated her reason for leaving. I hated her explanation of how she needed this forsaken town and how she could never be accustomed to dad's busy lifestyle. I hated that she didn't take me with her.

But I always understood why she did it.

All of my dreams and ambitions would never come true in Ipswich. She knew that because her own had faded with the dullness of this town. Yet she couldn't stay away from this place -- no matter how much she said she wanted to -- it had unwillingly become part of her. With dad, she secured me having a shot at my hope of becoming a model. Even though she thoroughly hated the idea of my acclaimed profession she let me have my chance at it.

Then before the start of my freshmen year, dad got his so-called brilliant idea.

He promised me if I got a good education, if I graduated with honors, he would shoot my portfolio. It was something he had refused to do countless times before. He claimed it wouldn't be fair for an amateur like me to have such an unfair advantage as having a world known photographer as a father. And he also knew what some girls got coaxed into doing while trying to make it big. It was a harsh business and I understood the underlying message: he didn't want me to be just a face, to have to rely on him. And so I agreed that I would get an education… even if that meant moving in to this town.

I miss him so much.

But I couldn't bear to see him. Not if it meant seeing him as distraught as Mum. He was probably worse than she had been. Mostly because he was probably blaming himself for proposing the idea of me moving here... moving to the town where I met my fate. As if he could have known.

I don't blame him.

_Sigh_.

I just wish I knew what happened to me.

--

I can't believe I'm _still_ showing up to class. It is an unbelievably hard habit to break. I was never one for skipping class when I was alive and now that I'm dead… well… it's not like I have something better to be doing. Besides in all my classes my seat remains available and so are the ones next to mine. I guess no one wants to sit in the dead girls' seat or the ones next to it for that matter. Whatever. It suits me just fine this way. At least like this I don't have to worry about students going through me in order to get to their seat.

_Sigh_.

He isn't in class yet.

Not that I'm looking for him or anything because I'm not. I just can't help but notice that he's not in yet. Usually when he arrives he makes some kind of grand entrance – mostly because he usually comes in-

"Mr. Garwin." My head shot up at the Professor's announcement. "So nice of you to join us."

-late.

Speak of the devil and he will come.

At the very least, he showed up though. It's been over a week since he last talked to me. Even now as he walks into the class, he purposely looks anywhere except in my general direction. Bloody hell, if he doesn't talk to me soon I think I'll go insane! Not so much from the situation itself but rather just for the fact that I don't have anyone else to talk to.

"Now that everyone is here," said Professor Lodato as his eyes shot over to Reid. "I can begin the oral examination." Every student, except for me of course, let out audible groans of protest. But the professor ignored everyone just as professor's usually do. Pfft. It's like they live for this stuff: making the lives of their students miserable, that is.

"The exam consists of only one question. When I call your name, stand up and answer the question. Now put all your books away."

All the students shuffled around, some taking one last peek at their notes while others tried jolting down some possible answers on their hands. Reid, on the other hand, didn't have any books in his desk to begin with and so he was just sitting there with his hands behind his head. Completely casual about the whole thing. Bugger. I always hated how he manages to stay so cool and collected all the time. Ever since I first laid eyes on him, back freshmen year, he has always been this way.

Not that when I was alive I hung out with him or stalked him or anything like that.

I just could never help myself from noticing him. Reid is just that type of guy. The kind of guy where everyone is just waiting on his next move.

"Mr. Garwin the first question is yours." Reid sighed as he stood up, hands in pocket and with his weight on one foot in a James Dean fashion. "A car moving at a constant speed with a siren sounding comes toward you and then passes by. Describe how the frequency of the sound you hear changes."

Oh there is no way he knows that.

He is just standing there. The same bored expression on his face as always. There are some students snickering at his laid back attitude while his friend Caleb looks as though he's about to blow a vein at his friend's lack of knowledge.

_Geez_.

Reid doesn't even look like he's deep in thought. He's more like deep in some kind of daydream. Doesn't he care if he fails or not?! Obviously not because if he did then he would have read the material and know the answer.

I can't take this anymore!

"The pitch is higher as the car comes closer and lower after it goes by," the answer comes out of my mouth before I even have time to think twice about it. Out of the corner of his eye he takes a small glance, but just quickly looks away. "I'm not messing with you, that's the right answer."

Surely he can't be that mad – or stupid – not to take the answer, right?

"…"

_Wrong_.

"I'm waiting for an answer Mr. Garwin."

Would he really rather get the answer wrong than accept my help?!

"SAY IT!" I slammed my hands down on the desk except instead of making a sound they just went right through it. "You don't know the answer so what do you have to lose anyway."

Reid slightly glanced at me again, and his shoulders slumped.

It is his signal of resignation.

"When the car comes closer," he mumbles, almost afraid that I am messing with him and that what he's saying is something completely wrong. "…the pitch is higher. When the car goes by it is lower."

"Correct," Professor Lodato looked as surprised as he sounded. He didn't think Reid would know the answer and technically he didn't. "Take a seat."

Reid nodded his head as he once again took his seat but before he does he looks at me. This time he fully turns to look over his shoulder and his eyes lock with mine. I notice his lips tug at the corners, and wouldn't you know it, he smirked at me. Was that his way of saying 'thank you'? Of course it is. I roll my eyes at him before standing up; as I walk I can sense his eyes watching my every move. _Heh_. I don't bother looking at him before walking right through the door.

It is obvious that he doesn't trust me.

If he did, then he would have said the answer the first time I gave it to him.

Although beggars can't be choosers, I refuse to be a beggar of any sort. I'm not going to force him into talking to me and I am certainly not begging him to trust me. Nope. If he wants to talk to me, he can come and find me.

_Hmph_.

Until then let's see how much Reid Garwin likes getting the cold shoulder.

--

Author notes (Notes from Purpleangel (also known as Rosie)): Sorry it took me so long! My interest slipped (as you can tell since I've started a few fics in other fandoms) and I had such a hard time writing this chapter. I hope you found this chapter up to standards, since I feel a bit doubtful about it. The next chapter will probably take awhile (though not more than 2 weeks) to be posted. Sorry. But I have to divide my writing time into all my stories…

Speaking of which… some shameless self promotion here, I hope Cara doesn't mind… Check out my brand new Covenant story entitled Violent Love Sinned. It doesn't have many reviews but hopefully you guys can change that. The name is Violent Love Sinned and you can find the link in my profile. Please check it out and leave me some feedback. I believe Cara also has some new Covenant stories floating around so check hers out as well.

All those who are kind enough to leave a review will receive an exclusive sneak peek into the next chapter!


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